United States' Carmelo Anthony celebrates after hitting a three-point shot during a semifinal men's basketball game against Argentina. Photo: AP

LONDON – It’s 2008 all over again, British style.

Just like four year sago, Team USA dispatched Argentina in the semifinals, wearing them down in the second half to post a 109-83 rout at North Greenwich Arena on Friday night. And once again, it will face Spain in the gold-medal game Sunday.

USA stormed to an 18-6 lead after six minutes, Argentina rallied but only until early in the third quarter before the talent differential was too vast.

Kobe Bryant, picking up where he left off from the Australian victory, scored 11 points in the early surge and finished with 13. LeBron James was dominant with 18 and Kevin Durant racked up 19.

Carmelo Anthony, after a slow start, got hot in the fourth quarter, and finished with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Melo racked up four 3-pointers in the final period, including three on three straight possessions. After two of them, he raised his arms to soak in the cheers.

Spain overcame a slow start to beat Russia, 67-59, with Pau Gasol leading the way with 16 points and Jose Calderon 14. Spain-USA is a rematch of the 2008 Finals won by the Redeem Team.

Bryant, on the attack early in the game, nailed three 3-pointers and scored on an over-the-head reverse layup. Durant stripped Luis Scola and charged in for a breakaway layup for a 15-4 lead before Bryant’s final trey of the surge. Bryant had 13 points by halftime.

But USA went to its bench and Argentina clawed back. After Andres Nocioni scored on a jumper right over Anthony, Argentina cut the deficit to 3 points, 18-15 with 1:45 left in the first quarter and USA clung to a 24-19 lead after one.

When James came back in the second quarter, he helped push the lead back up, driving hard to the basket, including one that resulted in a 3-point play and finished with 11 at the break. Bryant drilled another right-wing bucket and the Americans led 39-29 midway through the second.

Melo had a bad start, coming off the bench and bricking three shots and getting benched. Playing with a tight left hamstring, he returned soon after, drained his next jumper to put USA up 41-29. Soon after, he faked a shot, drove the right baseline and threw down a two-handed jam.

Argentina closed to 47-40 at halftime on Manu Ginobili’s 3-pointers at the buzzer and Carlos Delfino kept Argentina in the game with 13 first-half points, including three 3-pointers. New Knicks point guard Prigioni didn’t take a shot but had three dishes.

USA wore down Argentina in the third quarter. Durant popped in two straight 3-pointers soon after a sour-shot possession in which the South Americans coulnd’gt get a rebound. Then James tipped in one Durant 3-point miss to put them up 19 points. Earlier, he had rattled Argentina with an exclamation mark monster righthanded dunk off a power drive.